40% Punjab BDS students fail to qualify for internship

Raising a serious question mark on the quality of dental colleges in the state, only 60% candidates were able to clear the bachelor of dental surgery (BDS) exit examination — which is conducted after the completion of the four-year BDS course — in 2015. A student is eligible for internship only after clearing this exam.

Raising a serious question mark on the quality of dental colleges in the state, only 60% candidates were able to clear the bachelor of dental surgery (BDS) exit examination — which is conducted after the completion of the four-year BDS course — in 2015. A student is eligible for internship only after clearing this exam.

Of the 487 candidates, only 289 managed to clear the exam that was conducted by Baba Farid University of Health Sciences (BFUHS), Faridkot. The results were declared on December 31. While in 2014, around 82% candidates had cleared the test, the pass percentage in 2013 was 78.

“As the varsity has adopted tough measures and managed to check copying and unfair means in the examination, the pass percentage has come down. The university had appointed special staff and shifted test centres so that there could be no use of unfair means,” said sources.

“Actually, the government needs to pay attention towards the infrastructure in the BDS colleges. The colleges must be held accountable for poor results. Most colleges lack proper faculty and infrastructure due to which students suffer,’ claimed Gurdev Singh, a parent of a BDS pass-out.

“The university is committed to improve medical education standards. We need to produce good doctors for the society. We have tried our best to ensure smooth and fair examination and evaluation,” said Dr Raj Bahadur, BFUHS vice-chancellor.